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Identifying the Republicans with the ‘asiatic hordes’ of Russia reinforced the idea of Anti-Spain, whereby Spanishness and Liberalism could coexist not exist because the latter annulled the former. Franco later made this rhetorical device into literal policy by refusing to acknowledge Republicans captured by Hitler as Spanish citizens, thus dooming them to transfer to concentration camps. (Graham) As in Yugoslavia, it served the interests of the regime to minimize the civil nature of the conflict. If the opponents of the Nastionalists were sufficiently inspired, supported and infiltrated by foreign actors, the war could be construed as a war of liberation from ephemeral occupiers, a just and necessary “crusade,” rather than a domestic ideological struggle. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 132.162.87.12 (talk) 21:01, 22 April 2010 (UTC)